OCTOBER Monthly Newsletter. Rev. Geisa Matos-Machuca 961 Valley St, Manchester, NH Phone:

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1 OCTOBER 2015 Monthly Newsletter Rev. Geisa Matos-Machuca 961 Valley St, Manchester, NH Phone: Wanakee Campers September 2015

2 A Pastoral Letter Dear Church Family and Friends, Charles Schulz has managed to amuse and bridge generations with his characters, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Pig Pen, and company. With their own special brand of charm, they often provoke laughter and pause for thought, as Lucy constantly doles out unsolicited advice. You may remember the episode when Charlie Brown seeks psychiatric advice from Lucy. Lucy tells Charlie Brown that life is like a deck chair on the cruise ship of life. What you have to decide, Lucy says, is whether you want your deck chair to face backward so you can see where you have been, or if you want your deck chair to face forward so you can see where you are going. Exasperated, Charlie Brown responds, I m having trouble just getting my deck chair unfolded! We are a blessed congregation with our deck chairs facing forward. The following Narrative Scope of Ministries for the next twelve months Narrative Scope of Ministries faces forward, into the future God has Total Budget $102,961 for us. EDUCATION 24% Education 24% Pastoral Care 12% Fellowship 14% Worship 27% Mission 23% hope, or who might be seeking to deepen their knowledge of God. Christian Education programs include our Sunday School, Adult Bible studies, Vacation Bible School, Activa-Tree Christian Preschool, Wanakee United Methodist Camp and organizations such as the Girl and Boys Scouts, which foster the growth of young people in the community. A number of different groups meet in our buildings to be part of support groups. We invest a significant portion of our Budget to maintain the doors of our building open to all who might be in need of grace, and WORSHIP 27% At First UMC all people are welcomed! We meet weekly to praise God and worship God through different worship styles and through the arts. As pastor I help the Worship Team design the worship services and strive to bring a message every Sunday of hope-a message that speaks to the needs and reality of our community. Our worship services are supported by the musical talents of our Organist and Choir, Praise Band, Sacred Dancers, Media Team and our Administrative Assistant who also plays an essential role in the preparation of our Holy Celebration. Much of the purchased supplies are also related to Worship. For example, altar decorations, monies allotted to utilities, cleaning and building repairs enable us to worship in a place that is clean, warm and inviting. Through the different parts of the worship service from the Gathering Music to the Closing Hymn God makes beautiful things in the lives of those who worship at First UMC. 2

3 PASTORAL CARE 12% In part, this category refers to the percentage of the operating budget is related to Pastoral Care; I strive, as pastor, to provide pastoral care to all that need my support, prayer, and pastoral counseling. Members of this church help provide pastoral care through our different ministries. We are training our leaders to treat each person who walks into our church or calls us with great love and compassion. This year, I will be training new people to be part of our Visitation Team, so that they can be a healing presence as they reach out in the community to comfort those who are sick, incapacitated or struggling. FELLOWSHIP 14% First UMC is a faith community where members seek deeper relationships with God and with each other through various small group ministries. Every Sunday, after our worship service with have a Time of Fellowship. Our Christmas Dinners, Thanksgiving Dinners, and even our some Public Suppers are events in which we people experience love through fellowship. The ministry of a faith community includes coordination and empowerment of both staff and volunteers. MISSION 23% This year we raised money for our local missions, such as our Food Pantry and Activa-Tree Christian Preschool. We also supported our Mission Team when they went to other communities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. With respect to Global Missions we supported the Imagine No Malaria campaign. We are a missional church and thanks to the many generous donations we have received, our ministries are alive; yet there is a cost to maintaining these ministries. I invite you to take a look at our complete list of ministries found on page 10 of this newsletter. This week, please give some thought to what you see ahead for First UMC. Come to our 186th Anniversary Celebration and Consecration Sunday, scheduled for this Sunday, October 11th. Come ready to worship our Generous and Faithful God. Come to celebrate a future filled with hope. For 186 years, God has transformed thousands and thousands of lives through generous givers like you. Let s continue to rejoice in the Lord while caring for our current and future generations! This a season of rejoicing and celebration for our church, YOUR church! In Christ, Pastor Geisa. Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7, CEB) 3

4 October 11th 20 th Sunday after Pentecost Title: Declarations of Your Heart Scripture: John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 8:24 Theme: God so loved the world that he sent us his one and only son; this is our time to show God proof of our love! ************************************************************* October 18 th 21 st Sunday after Pentecost Title: A Vessel for Honorable Use Scripture: Jeremiah , Romans 9:19-21 Theme: Jesus is our Potter and we are the clay. How can we see Jesus breaking our worldly vessels and making us over? ************************************************************* October 25 th 23 rd Sunday after Pentecost Title: I Need New Glasses Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 Theme: The importance of seeing clearly where God wants to take us as a church and as individuals. 4

5 Thanksgiving A Day to Give Thanks! Help Us Build a Thanksgiving Dinner Please donate any of the following if you can: Canned Veggies Cranberry Sauce Stuffing Gravy Brownie Mix Juice Cash donations are always welcomed! Please contact Score Camire with any questions ( )

6 Saturday Oct. 17, AM to 3 PM First United Methodist Church 961 Valley St. Manchester, NH Luncheon - 12 to 2 Baked Goods - Crafts - Kid s Activities Halloween-Thanksgiving And Christmas Items

7 SUNSHINE GROUP OF FUMC 961 VALLEY ST., MANCHESTER, NH Fall Foliage Trip to Vermont Country Store, Weston VT.! When: Wednesday, October 14 th, 2015 Time: Meet at the Church at 8:45am Lunch: Weathervane Restaurant, West Lebanon, NH (order & pay individually) $30 for Bus (non-refundable)-price of lunch not included) Make check payable to FUMC Mail check to: Sunshine Group 148 Olmstead Ave. Manchester NH RSVP NOW

8 First United Methodist Church Baptism Sunday September 13, 2015 Christopher & Lianne Davis Mason D. Bush January 13, 2010 & Jasmine Marie Davis April 27, 2002 Abigail Lou Davis March 6, 2011 Keaghan Michael John Davis May 6,

9 Activa-Tree Christian Pre-School On September 9 we began another year of classes at Activa-Tree. Prior to opening day a lot of work was happening inside and around the school. Rick Thorpe sanded out a paint mishap and added new polyurethane to our new cabinets so they do not absorb any paint spills that happen during craft time. I sanded down the toy kitchen and touched up stain and gave it new coats of polyurethane and new knobs. Wade Ewing and his helper Brian pulled weeds from the playground and back storage area. Toys were cleaned, crayons sharpened, and markers refilled. On September 9 we greeted many old friends and made some new ones. This year we started school with 11 lunch bunch friends: a record for the start of the school year! We are very happy to be able to provide the afternoon session for parents who need it. By the end of the first day one of our students told his mother he had a new best friend! Although we have many nice groups of friends, we are always hoping for some more new friends. Our web address and Facebook address are on some of the signs decorating the front yard; you can also find us by following the church website; and you can call us at On September 13 one of our students was baptized along with her mother, father, sister and brother at the Back to School Worship Service at FUMC. The inside barbeque that followed the service was a success and some of our students were excited to see some of our graduates. Once again this year Arfy the Bible story telling dog is visiting our school. He has already been joined by Fluffy the cat, who has been learning from Arfy. The children love puppet time and beg for them on non-puppet days. During September we have been talking about Jesus as a child and playing games Jesus might have played as a child. We pretended we were making bread while playing with natural colored play dough and talked about how we help at home. We played with blocks and tried to make a tall stack that would fall over from the vibration of our feet on the floor. We jumped over a blanket puddle and laughed when we splashed in. What did we learn from all our fun? How to sit and wait for a turn; how to work together as a group; it s OK to try and fail; being part of a group is fun; dough is soft and squishy; we can have fun without lots of toys; how to follow directions. The teachers also learned who is steady and confident on their feet, who has strong hands and who has weaker hand muscles, who sits well for short times and who sits well for longer times, who is confident and ready to try new things and who needs extra encouragement, who laughs loud and hard and who is more introverted. We did a lot of apple themed projects during A week. We also painted paper tubes, which were cut and made into ants. We ate some fresh picked apples that were donated to us by one of our students. This fall we tried something new: instead of cutting the seeds out of the apples and serving them in wedges, we have begun serving apples cut in rings with the seeds intact. On apple snack days we now compare the number of seeds in our apple rings! Also during September we talked a lot about how God created us with senses to experience the world around us. We enjoyed playing with water and made mud. We finger-painted and learned how germs are hard to get off hands just like paint. We played with instruments and learned how to play them softly and loudly. We learned that some of our friends who don t like peanut butter do like chocolate peanut butter! There is so much to learn: good thing the year has just begun! 9

10 FIRST UMC MINISTRIES Activa-Tree Christian Preschool Director: Kathleen Steinmetz Food Pantry/Clothing Ministry/Parish Nurse Coordinator: Scott Camire Open every Tuesday 9am to 11:30am Contact Church Office Breakfast with Jesus! Every Saturday 6:30am Contact Wade Ewing, Pastor Geisa Prison Ministry Contact Pastor Geisa Visiting Team If you know someone in need of visitation, a card, call, etc. contact Pastor Geisa or the Church Office or office@fumcmanchester.org Prayer Chain In need of prayer? Contact Pastor Geisa or Karen Cassidy Church Office or pastorgeisa@fumcmanchester.org office@fumcmanchester.org Crafters Group Coordinator: Pam Brisson Meets 1 st & 3 rd 10am & 1 Sat a month to work on craft items for the Oct. Fall Festival. All are welcomed! Sunshine Group Coordinator: Dotty P or contact the Church Office@ Choir Director: Pat Ohrt Meets every Wednesday 7pm All are welcomed! Praise Band Director: Lee R. Soto For more info contact Lee R. Soto praiseband@fumcmanchester.org All are welcomed! Adult Sacred Dance Director: Deb Frederick Rehearses every Thursday All are welcomed! Children s Sacred Dance Director: Pastor Geisa Rehearses every Wednesday Mission Team For more information contact Betty Mitcheltree or Phyllis Bartlett at the Church Office@ Media Ministry Coordinator: Carl Chalbeck For more information contact the Church or office@fumcmanchester.org Sunday School Coordinator Stephanie Chalbeck Sunday School for all ages preschool through adult Every Sunday 9am

11 October 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 7pm-Trustees 6:15-7pm Children s Dance 7pm Sacred Dance 2 8:30am- Living Sober 3 GS 10am Worship-9:30am! Food Pantry-9am to 11:30am 7pm-Choir 6:15-7pm Children s Dance 7pm Sacred Dance 8:30am- Living Sober Church Sunday School: 9am Worship:10:30am Anniversary Celebration! Food Pantry-9am to 11:30am 7pm-Choir 6:15-7pm Children s Dance 7pm Sacred Dance 8:30am- Living Sober Church Fall Festival! 9am -3pm! Sunday School:9am Worship:10:30am CHARGE CONFERENCE 7PM Food Pantry-9am to 11:30am 7pm-Choir 6:15-7pm Children s Dance 7pm Sacred Dance 8:30am- Living Sober GS-10am Private Function 25 Sunday School:9am Worship:10:30am Food Pantry-9am to 11:30am Silent Auction mt 28 7pm-Choir 29 6:15-7pm Children s Dance 7pm Sacred Dance GS-10am 11

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